How I Wish the Hunger Games Was Told
by silverdoe91
Summary: This story is a reimagining of what went on in the hunger games after the first book. It starts off from when Katniss and Peeta are on the train making their way to their home district.
1. The Aftermath

Katniss and Peeta had not spoken since the closing ceremony that took place after the 74th hunger games had ended. During the ceremony they held hands and wore smiles for the cameras, straining to distinguish whatever tension resulted from the last conversation they had just shared.

Peeta avoided talking to Katniss out of the immense humiliation he felt upon finding out that Katniss, who had been the subject of his affections for so long, did not see him as a true contender for her love and her reciprocation of his affections had all been a mere hoax intended to ensure their survival. Katniss, in turn, evaded his gaze all throughout the evening out of the fear that her eyes would betray her and reveal anymore thoughts that could possibly hurt Peeta. She had already felt so guilty about what she had admitted to him earlier that day on the train—that all her kisses and attempts at affection had been a calculated effort to ensure their survival.

Her own mostly, as the intention to preserve Peeta's life in the games had been a mere afterthought, motivated by selfish needs. She had only expressed interest in protecting Peeta after it had been announced that both survivors from any district could win the games, and even then, her hesitation to spare Peeta's life had only surfaced in her mind after she envisioned the amount of backlash she would get from her own community for having killed a fellow district member and the shame that she would feel because of it. So of course, her actions had been entirely selfish, the whole way through, while Peeta's actions were founded in intentions that were so pure and selfless. How could she face those blue eyes when she knew in her heart that she deliberately exploited his feelings simply to reach her own ends?

In her defense, she was acting solely on survival instinct, and telling someone that you're madly in love with them whilst you're in a game of survival in which you're expected to rip each others' throats out and be suspect of any tricks to disarm you isn't the best idea. She tried to convince herself of this, but it just wasn't enough to push away the incredible amount of guilt that she felt. So, she did what she does best, and avoided any more confrontations with Peeta. Fortunately, she had the reunion with her family members to divert her attention from the constant stream of guilt that consumed her.


	2. The Reunion

The Reunion

While everyone in her district roared with merriment in celebration of her victory, all Katniss could think of was the cruel nature in which she attained the position of champion. She had deceived Peeta. She had killed others merely for the sake of her own survival. She had watched a boy her age being ripped apart by vicious mutts. Worst of all, she had been responsible for condemning him to such a gruesome fate.

The more she thought about it, the more disgusted she became at the celebration of such brutality by her own district. It was all she could do to not scream, run away, and coil up into a ball and cry at the depraved state her world was in. To celebrate her—a murderer.

But she knew better than to cause a scene right here, in front of the whole town, in front of all the cameras. She would not show the Capitol what they had done to her. How weak and battered she felt. Instead, she just shut down emotionally, plastered a smile to her face, and held on tightly to Peeta's warm grasp.

It wasn't until she heard the sound of her own name squeaked from a small voice accompanied by the pitter patter of tiny running feet that Katniss was roused from her current state of numbness. She turned around and saw her little sister making her way through the crowd, rushing towards the spot where Katniss stood, her fingers still interlocked with Peeta's, and Rory and Vick scampering close at her feet. Katniss automatically let go of Peeta's hand and dived right into Prim's open arms, clasping her own tightly around her as if she could in one moment make up for all the time she had missed with her sister, since the games had begun.

"Oh, Prim!" Katniss said with a giant sigh of relief, so happy to see her little sister once more. As she pulled back after a long embrace, she noticed that Prim was no longer as small as she had remembered.

"Katniss! You made it back! I've missed you so much!" squealed Prim unable to control the gleeful inflections in her voice.

"Well, I promised you didn't I?" said Katniss with a light laugh, as she gently examined her sister's face. "You've gotten bigger, little duck".

"I knew you could do it, Katniss! I just knew it! I've been watching the games with Rory and Vick, this whole time, and we never doubted you would make it home for a minute!"

"Then I guess your faith worked for me," Katniss said as she pulled in Rory and Vick for a big group hug. "Thanks, guys."

Rory and Vick's youngest sister, Posy scurried over at that moment huffing and puffing, but simply happy to have made it in time. "Posy!" Katniss exclaimed happily as she gave her a gentle hug and ruffled her hair a bit.

A genuine smile crept up on her face as she examined all the innocent faces looking back at her, belonging to her and Gale's pseudo children, who depended on her to protect and provide for them, and she was reminded the reason why she had to win the hunger games. Why she had to commit all those unspeakable acts and come back as a victor. Her family.

"Mom is on her way here," said Prim reassuringly. "We had a patient come in just before the ceremonies began. He was in a lot of pain, but we fixed him up real good. Mom stayed to finish cleaning up the first aid supplies, but she said I could head on without her, and she'll be right behind me. She should be here soon—any minute now."

"Prim, you're fixing up patients, now?" Katniss exclaimed with surprise. "I must have missed quite a lot since I was away."

"Yes, well…with you not around and all….we had to rely a little more heavily on healing to help get food on the table, mom started taking more patients, and enlisted me to help her around the clock. You won't believe some of the success stories we've had. I can't wait to tell you all of them" Prim announced excitedly.

"And I can't wait to hear them, I always knew you had a knack for healing, just like mom" Katniss said as she stroked her hair lovingly.

Just then, Iris Everdeen and Hazelle Hawthorne appeared out from the thicket of people celebrating in the square.

"Mom!" Katniss was surprised to hear the joy in her own voice, mixed in with note of desperation. She never realized how much she had missed her mother throughout all these harrowing months until her mother's arms were wrapped around her, firm in their grasp, as she gently whispered in her ear "Katniss, Katniss…oh, my little Katniss."

Katniss had long forgotten the secure feel of her mothers' warmth, all her memories of running to her mother for safety buried away under the persistent pressure to be strong, and despise her mother's faults. Iris held a pained expression on her face as she pulled away from the daughter she had been so convinced she would lose, just as she had lost her husband. They stared into one another's eyes with a new understanding and appreciation for the other. All that transpired in between the day of the frightful mine accident and this day seemed to have evaporated.

After this rare moment of affection, Hazelle sauntered over to where Katniss stood with children gathered around her, clasped her hands around her face and placed a big wet kiss on both her cheeks.

"Glad to see you back, Katniss. We were all rooting for you," Mrs. Hawthorne said with a jubilant look on her face.

"I'm glad to be back," Katniss replied. Now that the entire Hawthorne family had managed to greet her, Katniss became increasingly aware of Gale's absence from the ceremonies. She finally asked, in a voice as inconspicuous as she could muster, "Hazelle…where's Gale?"


End file.
